PATNA: Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) patron Jitan Ram Manjhi on Sunday created a flutter in political circles when he demanded a seat in the upcoming elections to the Rajya Sabha.
Manjhi alleged that the BJP had promised a Rajya Sabha seat during the Lok Sabha elections, but failed to keep up its word. Manjhi is the sole member of Lok Sabha from HAM, though the party won five seats in the recently concluded Bihar assembly elections.
Manjhi's son and HAM president Santosh Kumar Suman is a minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet. He urged his son to demand what the BJP had earlier promised, and not be disheartened by the party's dishonesty.
Manjhi questioned the unfair split of seats, noting that Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) was being given two Rajya Sabha seats, the BJP two, and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) one in the upcoming election. He asked, "Where does HAM stand?"
"We were promised two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat in the 2024 elections. At that time, we were given one Lok Sabha seat, which we won, but the Rajya Sabha seat is still pending," Manjhi said.
"When the Rajya Sabha elections are held in April, HAM should get one seat. This is our demand," he added.
On the question of whether he will break ties with the NDA if not given the Rajya Sabha seat, Manjhi said, "It is a different matter. The question of separation has not been raised yet."
He added, "Today, we are not a recognised party. This is because we don't have eight seats, as we got only six seats in the assembly elections ... Otherwise, we should contest 50-100 seats, and if we do, we will get six per cent of total votes and we will get recognised."